Journal box



Oct. 14, 195% R. J. BRITTAIN, JR 2,856,244

' JOURNAL BOX Filed May 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENI'OL RICHAKD J. BRITTAIN J2 y @M HISAITO Oct. 14, 1958 I R. J. BRITTAIN, JR 2,856,244

JOURNAL BOX Filed May 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent f JOURNAL BOX Richard J. Brittain, Jr., Berkeley Heights, N. J., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1956, Serial No. 586,573

11 Claims. (Cl. 308-180) This invention relates to antifriction journal boxes adaptable for supporting railway cars on rotatable axles and particularly to an improved bearing housing or saddle to be supported between the guides of the pedestals of a railway car truck.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to construct the various parts of railway journal boxes from castings which often were weak due to various imperfections such as blow holes, dirt inclusions, uneven cooling and other causes. Consequently, these castings have been large and heavy to assure the requisite strength to receive the shocks attendant with normal use. There has been much waste of material in these cast iron boxes and they have been expensive to manufacture due to expensive machining operations. Additionally, massive castings usually have to be subjected to seasoning operations. Some cast steel parts have been used in the fabricating of certain railroad journal boxes. However, these cast steel parts have also been massive and have required many expensive machining operations.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved journal box construction having many of its important parts formed from a single piece of sheet metal. Since such a housing assembly requires few cast metal parts, the present construction offers the advantages of not only being strong, but light in weight, less costly and more readily constructed. In addition to providing a journal box having these advantages, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved method of constructing a journal box by bending certain journal box parts to the required shape from sheet metal.

In accordance with the present invention, a journal box housing for railway bearings is principally composed of a sheet metal saddle member bent to form and requiring a minimum of machining operations. The housing assembly incorporating the journal box preferably encloses antifriction bearings rotatably receiving the car axle and transmitting the load of a railway car through the axle to the wheels, the rolling elements of these bearings being received in an outer race ring over which the sheet metal saddle conformingly fits. This sheet metal saddle is also provided with tangentially extending side flanges forming truck pedestal receiving channels, the upper portion of the saddle being arranged to carry the weight of the car thereabove.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of this character, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed. In its broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific structures selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved journal box;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of my journal box with certain parts illustrated in central horizontal section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front end view partly broken away to show interior parts in vertical section;

2,856,244 patented Oct. 14, 1958 Figure 4 is a plan view of the cut-out sheet metal saddle blank; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the saddle bent to final form.

An axle 10, upon which may be mounted suitable car wheels (not shown), is received within a journal box 12 for antifrictional rotation and for limited endwise movements by rows of cylindrical bearing rollers 14 that roll upon a hardened inner raceway sleeve 16 tightly pressed over a reduced end of the axle and which also roll against a hardened smooth cylindrical outer raceway 18 formed on a cylindrical outer race ring 20. The rollers of each row are circumferentially spaced by a rotatable cage 22. A freely floating spacer sleeve 24 is journalled on the outer raceway 18 and has its parallel flat end faces engageable with the inner ends of both sets of rollers to maintain these rollers in proper axial positions and in parallel relation to the axis of the axle 10. The inner end of the inner raceway sleeve 16 has an enlargement 26 fitting against an enlargement of the axle 10. This enlargement 26 is provided with a generally radially disposed annular shoulder 27 engageable with the ends of the rear set of rollers 14 to limit the extent of endwise movement of the axle in one direction as will be later described.

A front end cap 30 is demountably fastened to the forward end of the outer race ring Ztl as by screws 31 passing through an annular end cap flange 32 which sealingly seats in position as by a suitable intervening gasket. An annular projection 34 extending axially from the flange 32 pilots within the end of the outer race ring 26. The inner end of this projection 34 terminates in a substantially radially disposed annular shoulder 36 which may be slightly spaced from the outer raceway 18 and which has a flat end face for engagement by the flat ends of the front set of rollers 14 thus cooperating with the spacer sleeve 24 in preventing these rollers from skewing by guiding them in parallel relation to the axis of the axle 10. A forwardly extending portion of the end cap St has a counterbore 38 opening at its rearward end into the journal box in surrounding radially spaced relation to the reduced outer end of the axle 10. A cylindrical wall 39 of this counterbore terminates in a fiat end wall 40 at the forward end of the cap 30. l

A rear end cap 42 is demountably secured to the rearward end of the outer race ring 20 as by screws 44 passing through an end cap flange 46 and is provided with a through bore which receives in closely spaced relation the cylindrical periphery of the race ring enlargement 26. The end cap 42 may also be provided with a series of axially spaced lubricant retaining grooves 48 opening radially inwardly towards the enlargement 26 to prevent lubricant leakage from the back of the journal box. If required, a suitable gasket may be located between the flange 46 and the end of the outer race ring 20 to prevent leakage of lubricant from the journal box. An annular projection 50 of the end cap 42 is piloted within the rearward end of the outer race ring 20, this projection terminating in a radially disposed annular shoulder 52 having a fiat end face engageable with the flat end faces of the rearward set of rollers 14 to cooperate with the spacer sleeve 24 in preventing skewing of the rollers by maintaining these rollers parallel to the axis of the axis of the axle 10. The spacing between the flat ends of the roller engaging shoulders 36 and 52 is preferably such that both sets of rollers 14 may freely roll without assuming any appreciable endwise movement.

The axle 10 is permitted a limited endwise shifting movement which is cushioned at each end of its movement. This endwise shifting is free to occur since the cylindrical inner race ring may move endwise with the axle within the sets of cylindrical rollers 14. To cushion bentwaway from the intermediate portion 77 the endwisemovement of. the axle 10, athrust bearing 54, axially movable as a unit within the counterbore 38, includes an outer race ring 56 slidable in the counterbore nd a;.ro.ta.ta.ble innen'race ring 58 with. an intervening row of circumferentially arranged rollers. 6t] engaging raceways. in both. of. these race; rings. The inner race ring 58 has a flat end wall engageable with a, flat outer end of: the axle; 1.0,. this. wall being provided with a lubricant groove 62' communicating with a central bore through this-race ring 58. I preferably employ generally barrel-shaped rollers engaging a parti-spherical racewayin one Of the. race rings. of; the thrust bearing to. assure: flat. abutting engagement of the, end wall of. the inneryrace ring against the end of its bafile. Lubricant within; the journal box is distributed by the groove 62 to avoid; wear; of the abuttingend faces of. the axle and thrust bearingrace, ring 58. A resilient stack of Belleville washers or other suitable springmeans. 64 is axially slidablydisposed within the counterboreand compressed between. thefiat end wall 40 of the end cap 30 and. the flatendwall of the outer race ring. A- plug 65'may be removed; from the end wall 40 to provide an opening through which grease or other. suitable; lubricant may be fed into; this journal box.

Theresilient spring means 64 urges the bearing 56 as a;unit;towards. theaxle so that the inner race ring 58 engages: and. rotates with the axle while yieldably cushioning end thrusts of the axle towards the right as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The Belleville washers 64 preferably always remain sufliciently compressed to assure adriving engagement of the race ring 58 with the axle:- With this arrangement any sudden shifts. ofthe axle towards the thrust hearing will occur while the rollers are in raceway rolling engagement thusavoiding any spallingdamage to these raceways. The axial spacing, between the shoulders 27 and 36 is preferably such thatthe endwise axle movement in the direction of the arrow-is positively'limited to prevent the Belleville washers 64 from becoming completely compressed thus avoiding-the possible danger of spalling the raceways of the bearing54 by the rollers 60. This endwise thrust of the axle is limited by engagement of the shoulder 27 with the. rearward rollers, the thrust being transmitted through the sleeve 24 and forward rollers and limited by the shoulder 36. A similar journal box construction provided at the other end of the axle (not shown) permits a correspondingly limited cushioned shifting of the axle in;.the opposite direction.

A saddle member generally indicated at70 and best illustrated in Figure 5, isbent to shape from a sheet metal blank 71, This blank is, cut out in generally elongatedrectangular form and has a pair of corresponding projections or flanges73 laterally extending outwardly in opposite, directions from its sides adjacent each end. These flanges, which preferably havetapered end portions 74, are e.ach;partially defined by an L-shaped slot 75 cut-through the blank and extending laterallyinwardly at-an;intermediate portion 77 of the blank and'extending longitudinally of the. blank to a position approximately opposite amid portion of the adjacent flange 73. Correspondingslots 80 are cut laterally. inwardly at the mid portion of the blank and the ends of the blankare provided-with suitable bolt holes 82.

The -blank 71 is bent from its initially flat form of Figure4v to provide a semi-cylindrical central portion 84 extending. throughout'the length of the slots 75 and including the intermediate-portion 77, this portion 84 being of a. curvature to matingly seat against the upper half ofthe outer race ring 20 and having a width such that it fits between a rearward flange 86 of the outer race ring and theflange 32 on the front end cap 30 which preferably projects radially beyond the outer race ring. During. this bending operation, the ends of the. blank 71.are and away fromthe; slots. 75.: to provide. apair of,vertically, parallel end walls 88 and the flanges 73 are bent outwardly to project in substantially parallel rectangular relation to the end walls. These end walls 88 and outwardly extending flanges 73 provide a pair of spaced channels for slidably receiving the usual vertical pedestal portions of a railway car truck. I preferably, secure as by welding or by other suitable method; Wear plates 90 to the end walls 88 and wear plates 92, to the flanges 73 for slidable engagement with the truck pedestals. If desired, the inner face of the arcuate saddle portion 84 which seatsagainst the outer race ring may be machined to assure. desired seating conformity.

After the saddle: member is fitted: over the outer race ring 20, a tie-bar or reinforcing'plate 94 is secured as by bolts 96 between the lower ends of the side plates 88 and beneath the bearing. This reinforcing member adds rigidity to the journal box and preferably rests against the. bottom of the outer race ring. 20. to assure that the saddle 70; is properly held, in position; The slotted portions and 75 of. the saddle provide; laterally protruding lugs 983 that interfit. within; correspondingly located slots in the flanges 32 and 86 to prevent relative rotationbetween the outer race. ring and the saddle. 70. As analternative. construction, relative rotation between the.outerraceringand the saddlemay be prevented by oneormorepins 100 mounted in. correspondingly located bores in the saddle and the-outer race ring.

An equalizer. seat pad 102 of resilient. wear resistant materialcovers av substantial area on the top curved portion 840]? the saddlemember 70 and provides a seat for an equalizer plate. 104 upon which the railway cartruck rests, the; Weight of the. railway car being transmitted through the equalizer plate and the seat pad. to. the journal box therebeneath. In view of theinterfitting relation of the;.-saddle on the outer race ring 20, the:weight of the. car above the journalbox is; distributed over; a relatively large surface of the outerraceway 20 of the antifriction bearing and through alargenumber-of the antifriction rollers 14, thencethroughtheinner race-ring 16;.to the axle. Accordingly, a maximum number of the bearing rollers 14, rather than a few. of. the rollers just at the upper portion of the bearing, transmit the load to the journal asv the rollers travel between the races. Hence, wear isminimized and. the antifriction-bearing lastsmuch longer. Due tomy improved sheet. metal saddle, which is bent to form, the resulting assembly is light in .weight, relatively inexpensive, readily constructed, and of unusually rugged construction.

I claim:

1. In ajournal boxfora rotatable axle a bearing including a cylindrical sleeve member in; which the axle isrotatably received, endcaps demountably'fastened to theendsof saidsleevemember, a. unitary'saddle member bent to shapefrorn a single piecezof sheet metal. and

1 receiving. the cylindrical sleeve :member, the. saddle: member having anintermediate curved portion fitted over and conforming to the cylindrical sleeve; member between the end. caps, side saddle walls at eachside of the-intermediate curved portion and extending; above and below the axisof. thesIeeVemember, and: anjintermediate portion of each sidewall tangentially merging with said. intermediate curved portion.

2. In a journal box for arotatable axle,.a bearingdn cluding a cylindrical sleevemember. in.which.the axle is rotatably received, aunitary saddle member bent to generally U=shaped from a.single:-piece ofisheet metal-and.re-

ceiving said sleeve-member the saddle member having intermediate its lengtha partivcylindrical portion conforming with and fitted over the upper. portion of said sleeve, side wallson said member tangentially extending in parallel relation from said parti-cylindrical portionat each. side of. the sleeve member,v anda.reinforcing.member secured to and. extending between said side walls below the sleeve member.

In a journal box ion a rotatable-axle,abearingincluding a cylindrical sleeve member in which the axle is free to rotate, a unitary saddle bent to generally U-shape from a single piece of shett metal and receiving the sleeve member, the saddle having an intermediate particylindrical portion fitted over the cylindrical sleeve in conforming relation therewith, vertical parallel side walls on the saddle respectively located at each side of the sleeve and tangentially extending from the intermediate saddle portion, and a pair of spaced guide flanges bent out into laterally extending relation from each side wall.

4. In a journal box for a rotatable axle, a bearing including a cylindrical sleeve member for rotatably receiving the axle, a unitary saddle bent to shape from a single piece of sheet metal, the saddle having an intermediate curved portion fitted over and conforming to the upper portion of the cylindrical sleeve member, vertically disposed side saddle walls respectively located at each side of the sleeve member and tangentially extending from the intermediate curved portion, each side of said side walls laterally extending respectively beyond the adjacent end of said intermediate curved portion, a pair of spaced guide flanges laterally extending from each side wall, and wear plates secured to the side Walls and to said flanges.

5. In a journal box having an antifriction bearing rotatably receiving an axle, a bearing outer race ring having a cylindrical periphery, a single-piece sheet metal saddle bent to shape and supported by the race ring, said saddle having an intermediate semi-cylindrical top portion seated on and conforming with the outer race ring, tangential side saddle walls merging with the semi-cylindrical portion and extending in substantially vertical parallel relation at each side of the outer race ring, each of the side portions having a pair of spaced laterally extending flanges providing guiding channels respectively at each side of the saddle, and a reinforcing member, demountably fastened at its ends to the lower ends of the side saddle portions.

6. In a journal box for a rotatable axle, an antifriction bearing rotatably receiving the axle and having an outer race ring, a unitary saddle member bent to shape from a single piece of sheet metal of uniform thickness and receiving said race ring, the saddle member having an intermediate arcuate portion conforming with and seated upon the upper portion of the race ring, parallel downwardly extending side saddle walls respectively tangentially merging with the intermediate arcuate portion at each side of said race ring, the sides of said walls extending beyond the arcuate ends of said intermediate portion, and means securing the race ring and saddle against relative rotation.

7. In a journal box for a rotatable axle, an antifriction bearing receiving the axle for rotation and for endwise shifting movements, said bearing including an outer race ring, an end cap secured in position at the outer end of the race ring, a thrust bearing slidably mounted in the end cap, resilient means in the end cap urging the thrust bearing into engagement with an end of the axle to cushion endise shifting of the axle in one direction, and a saddle member bent to form from sheet metal and having an intermediate curved portion fitted in conforming relation over said outer race ring.

8. In a journal box for a rotatable axle, an antifriction bearing receiving the axle for rotation and for endwise shifting movements, said bearing including an outer race ring, an end cap secured in position at an end of the race ring, a thrust bearing slidably mounted in the end cap and rotatably engageable with the end of the axle, a compressible spring member mounted in the end cap and yieldably urging the thrust bearing into axle engagement, means independent of the thrust bearing and limiting the endwise axle movement from completely compressing the spring member, and a sheet metal saddle bent to form and having an intermediate curved portion seated in conforming relation over the race ring.

9. In a journal box for a rotatable axle, an antifriction bearing receiving the axle for rotation and for endwise shifting movements, said bearing including an outer race ring, an end cap secured to an end of the race ring, an antifriction thrust bearing slidably mounted in the end cap and having a rotatable thrust member engageable with the end of the axle, a compressible spring slidably mounted in the end cap and engaging the thrust bearing to maintain the thrust member against the axle for yieldably cushioning endwise axle movement, shoulder means associated with the first mentioned bearing for limiting endwise axle movement from completely compressing said spring, and a sheet metal saddle secured to the outer race ring, said saddle having an intermediate curved portion fitted over and conforming with an upper portion of the race ring.

10. In a journal box, an antifriction bearing for rotatably receiving an axle and including a horizontally disposed longitudinally extending sleeve forming an outer race ring, front and rear end caps demountably secured to said sleeve, a saddle bent to shape from a single piece of sheet metal and forming a housing for the sleeve, said saddle having an intermediate semi-cylindrical top portion seated upon and conforming with the upper portion of said sleeve, downwardly extending side saddle portions tangentially extending in substantially parallel relation from said top portion, a pair of outwardly extending flanges bent out from the sides of each side saddle portion, interlocking mechanism preventing relative rotation of the sleeve and saddle, and means demountably securing the saddle to said sleeve.

11. In a journal box, an antifriction bearing for rotatably receiving an axle and including a horizontally disposed cylindrical sleeve forming an outer race ring, front and rear end caps demountably secured to said sleeve, an annular flange on one end of the sleeve, an annular flange on the end cap at the opposite end of said sleeve, a unitary sheet metal saddle housing the sleeve, said saddle having an intermediate semi-cylindrical top portion seated on and in conforming relationwith the sleeve between said flanges, interlocking means between the sleeve and one of said flanges, downwardly extending substantially parallel side saddle walls tangentially extending from the semi-cylindrical top portion, and a reinforcing member extending between the side walls below said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 1,230,057 Williams June 12, 1917 2,133,024 Gibbons et al Oct. 11, 1938 2,497,403 Gaver Feb. 14, 1950 2,550,284 Mikulak et al Apr. 24, 1951 

